Systems and methods for cooling an electronic device via interface of a heat-transfer conduit of the electronic device to a cold plate assembly

Abstract

Systems and methods for cooling an electronic device via interface of a heat-transfer conduit of the electronic device to a cold plate assembly are disclosed. According to an aspect, a system includes an electronic device including one or more electronic components. Further, the electronic device includes a heat-transfer conduit including a first end and a second end. The first end of the heat-transfer conduit is positioned to receive heat from the electronic component(s). The heat-transfer conduit is configured to conduct heat from the first end to the second end. Further, the system includes a cold plate assembly including a cold plate and a mechanism configured to permit movement of the cold plate. At the first position, the cold plate may contact the second end for receipt of heat from the heat-transfer conduit at the second end. At the second position, the cold plate is apart from the second end.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system comprising:
 an electronic device including at least one electronic component and a heat-transfer conduit comprising a heat pipe including a first closed end and a second closed end, the first closed end being positioned to receive heat from the at least one electronic component, wherein the electronic device is a removable expansion card within a compute node, wherein the heat-transfer conduit is configured to conduct heat from the first closed end to the second closed end, and wherein the second closed end of the heat pipe comprises an exposed, convex outside surface; 
 a cold plate assembly including a cold plate and a mechanism configured to permit movement of the cold plate between a first position and a second position, wherein the cold plate assembly defines a concave surface contoured to fit to and receive the exposed, convex outside surface of the second closed end of the heat pipe, wherein at the first position the defined concave surface of the cold plate contacts the exposed, convex surface of the heat pipe for receipt of heat by the cold plate from the heat pipe, and wherein at the second position the cold plate is apart from the exposed, convex surface of the heat pipe; 
 a fluid conduit within the compute node, the fluid conduit being integrated with the cold plate and configured to allow fluid to pass therein for transferring heat from the cold plate; and 
 a bracket that secures the second closed end to the electronic device such that a portion of the second closed end is exposed outside of the bracket for contact with the cold plate, wherein the portion of the second closed end extends in a direction towards the cold plate farther than the bracket. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic device is one of an input/output (I/O) card, a solid state drive (SSD), and a redundant array of independent disks (RAID) adapter. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cold plate assembly comprises a resilient member configured to bias the cold plate in the direction of the first position. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 3 , wherein the resilient member is a coiled spring. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic device further comprises a heat sink configured to receive heat from the at least one electronic component, wherein the first closed end is configured to receive heat from the heat sink. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 5 , wherein the first closed end is attached to the heat sink. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a bracket that attaches the electronic device to a server shuttle. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid conduit includes a fluid inlet for receipt of fluid and a fluid outlet for exit of fluid, wherein the fluid inlet is connected to a fluid source for receipt of cooled fluid. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid conduit passes through the cold plate. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid conduit is made of flexible material, wherein the fluid conduit is flexible such that it moves along with the cold plate between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the defined concave surface of the cold plate comprises a channel defined on a side of the cold plate for fit to the exposed, convex surface of the heat pipe when at the first position. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cold plate assembly defines a channel for receiving the exposed, convex surface of the second closed end of the heat pipe. 
     
     
       13. A method comprising:
 providing an electronic device including at least one electronic component and a heat-transfer conduit comprising a heat pipe including a first closed end and a second closed end, the first closed end being positioned to receive heat from the at least one electronic component, wherein the electronic device is a removable expansion card within a compute node, wherein the heat-transfer conduit is configured to conduct heat from the first closed end to the second closed end, and wherein the second closed end of the heat pipe comprises an exposed, convex outside surface; 
 providing a cold plate assembly including a cold plate and a mechanism configured to permit movement of the cold plate between a first position and a second position, and wherein the cold plate assembly defines a concave surface contoured to fit to and receive the exposed, convex surface of the second closed end of the heat pipe; 
 moving the electronic device from the second position where the cold plate is separate from the exposed, convex surface of the second closed end of the heat pipe to the first position where the defined concave surface of the cold plate contacts the exposed, convex surface of the second closed end of the heat pipe for receipt of heat by the cold plate from the heat pipe; 
 providing a fluid conduit within the compute node, the fluid conduit being integrated with the cold plate and configured to allow fluid to pass therein for transferring heat from the cold plate; and 
 providing a bracket that secures the second closed end to the electronic device such that a portion of the second closed end is exposed outside of the bracket for contact with the cold plate, wherein the portion of the second closed end extends in a direction towards the cold plate farther than the bracket. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the cold plate assembly comprises a resilient member configured to bias the cold plate in the direction of the first position. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the electronic device further comprises a heat sink configured to receive heat from the at least one electronic component, wherein the first closed end is configured to receive heat from the heat sink. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the fluid conduit includes a fluid inlet for receipt of fluid and a fluid outlet for exit of fluid, wherein the fluid inlet is connected to a fluid source for receipt of cooled fluid. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the fluid conduit is made of flexible material. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the defined concave surface of the cold plate comprises a channel defined on a side of the cold plate for fit to the exposed, convex surface of the heat pipe when at the first position. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the cold plate assembly defines a channel for receiving the exposed, convex surface of the second closed end of the heat pipe.